The Middle Passage According to Olaudah Equiano

Olaudah Equiano is perhaps one of the most well-known abolitionist writers and former slaves to live in America. His narrative has been digitized as a part of the Documenting the American South North American Slave Narratives collection. His vivid retelling of his trip onboard a slave ship bound for the New World illustrates the horrific and dehumanizing experience.

A lesson plan for grades 11–12 Social Studies

By Regina Wooten

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Related pages

• The African American experience in NC after Reconstruction: The documents included in this lesson come from The North Carolina Experience collection of Documenting the American South and specifically focus on African Americans and race relations in the early 20th century. The lesson juxtaposes accounts that relate to both the positive improvements of black society and arguments against advancement. Combined, these primary sources and the accompanying lesson plan could be used as a Document Based Question (DBQ) in an AP US history or African American history course.
• Spirituals and the power of music in slave narratives: In this lesson for grade 4, students will learn about the importance of music in the lives of slaves by reading slave narratives and listening to recordings.
• Slave songs: This lesson plan allows students to learn more about the religious observances of slaves in the United States by presenting hymns from Slave Songs in the US digitized in the Documenting the American South Collection. This is a great lesson to introduce the intersection of religion and slavery in a US history or African American history class.

Related topics

• Learn more about African Americans, abolition, slavery, and social studies.

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• learn more about the kidnapping, enslavement, and transport of African slaves to the New World via the infamous Middle Passage.
• gain insight into the horrifying conditions facing slaves throughout the ordeal.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

15 minutes

Technology resources

Internet access to Documenting the American South resources.

Pre-activities

K-W-L format

1. The teacher should divide the board into three columns. In the first column, labeled “K” (what you know) have the students brainstorm and record a list of all of the things they already know about slaver and the process of bringing slaves to the New World.
2. Next, in the “W” (what you want to know) have students list all of the things they would like to know or the subjects on which they need more information.

Activities

Have students each read the account of Equiano.

Assessment

Pair-share format

1. After students read their documents they should list all of the things they learned in the final “L” column (representing what you learned).
2. Students should share these with a partner first and then add anything to their list that they gained through collaboration.
3. Finally, as a group the students help the teacher list one long “L” on the board. Again, students should add anything they learned.
4. Teachers may choose to collect the charts for a daily participation grade or ask students to write a brief free write on the topic of the Middle Passage.

Supplemental information

These options require additional class time and extend the reading.

Option #1: Compare Olaudah Equiano’s account of passage to the New World with that of William Bradford’s writings about his journey.

Option #2: Have students conduct further research on Equiano’s life. (He is an amazing figure who eventually bought his own freedom and became a well-known abolitionist in England.)

Option #3: Students may also wish to compare Equiano’s experiences to those of other slaves or the accounts of slave traders.

Related websites

The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa the African

Comments

Recently, video recreations of the Middle Passage have been produced; these provide vivid illustrations of the horrendous conditions endured. Teachers should pre-view these videos, of course, as they are graphic in portions.